In April, high school students in Lowell, Massachusetts will start exploring various solarization possibilities in the city of Lowell -- famously known as the Cradle of American Industrial Revolution. Many municipal properties and apartment buildings in Lowell have large roofs that are ideal for rooftop solar installations. Public parking facilities also provide space for installing solar canopies, which serve the dual purpose of generating clean energy and providing shade for parked cars. Students will discover the solar potential of their city and calculate the amount of electricity that can generated based on it.
This project is made possible by our Energy3D software, which supports engineering-grade solar design, simulation, and analysis. The Lowell High School, local business owners, and town officials have been very supportive about this initiative. They provided a number of public and private sites for students to pick and choose. Some of them have even agreed to serve as the "clients" for students to provide specifications, inputs, and feedback to students while they are carrying out this engineering project.
Among the available sites, five public parking garages managed by the municipal authority, which have not installed solar canopies, will be investigated by students through feasibility studies that include 3D modeling, solar energy simulation, and financial planning. Through the project work, students will author reports addressed to the property owners, in which they will recommend appropriate solar solutions and financial options.
Solving real-world problems like these creates a meaningful and compelling context and pathway for students to learn science and engineering knowledge and skills. Hopefully, their work will also help inform the general public about the solar potential of their city and the possibility of transitioning it to 100% renewable energy in the foreseeable future, which is a goal recently set by Massachusetts lawmakers.
